Been meaning to ask, but do your hands get torn up pretty bad after a long day of riding? I mean I either have a death grib or my skin is not thick. lol My hands don't feel soft so I don't understand why they hurt so much. Usually I will ride 3-4 sessions in 1 day, but is there something I can do or some sort of gloves that would help?

Yes! By the end of the season I have calluses from wakeboarding. I'll have calluses all along the pads on my palm near the base of my fingers. I think it comes from abrasion and being wet all day. The handle makes a difference - I prefer something with a bigger diameter and a little bit of sponginess. Some handles that are too firm really tire my hands out quickly.

(I hope no guys come looking at this thread because there are way to many innuendos in it!)

Hands get callused from doing things that stress the skin; it happens. Gloves would help, I had to buy some since the wooden cable park handles were just tearing them so badly they were bloody.

That said, if they're not getting torn and you could still ride, it might be better to get your hands used to it. Gloves can be a hassle, and they get stretched out real quick from being wet all the time.

Gloves are a hastle but they do help... I got a big blister and tore it off while riding last week, it was really hurting. But I've been just wearing some water skiing gloves I had and it helps so I don't tear up my hand worse. I agree that you should just put up with it though and build the calluses if you don't have an open wound.

Huh, our handle is somewhat soft, but i never have a problem with my hands. Then again, I work with them at the barn, in the garden, at work, cleaning the pool so I guess they're pretty tough from the abuse already

We had one of those handles for a while (until we caught the rope on the prop and it got eaten,) and I don't think we ever really had problems with getting blisters. It's got a pretty thick layer of cushy foam, and it doesn't cut at you like some.

Now we have a Ronix Moanna handle; the diamater is thicker and it's a straight handle of course, but again, it's pretty cushy and we haven't been having blister issues. The diamater might be a bit too much if your hands are small though, it's a bit on the big side, and it doesn't float, so that's annoying.

If gloves aren't quite doing the trick, you might try wrapping some sports tape around the area that's getting beat up; saw a girl at the cable park doing it the other day and she said it worked really well.